Author Topic: AAA Points  (Read 161390 times)

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #400 on: 10 December, 2010, 12:10:41 am »
The rule change to give 1 point for 1000m changed things to make high scores easier to attain.  Then the thresholds are IMO wrong. A 200km event with 2750m of climb gets no points but only 50m more would earn it 2.75, too much of a jump now. But thems the rules and I'll live within them. 50m is nowt.

CountrySickness

  • mostly puzzled
Re: AAA Points
« Reply #401 on: 10 December, 2010, 08:02:54 am »
[quote 50m is nowt.
[/quote]

50m climb is a lot when it's roughly surfaced and at 25% gradient (thinks back to his days living in Dorset ::-)). As for DIY by GPS "cheapening" AAA points, hills in full winter clothing and bike aren't any easier with a GPS, I think DIY is the issue here not adding AAA points to a DIY.

Right time to get my 60k entry in and ride some hopefully ice-free spectacular Welsh hills :thumbsup:.

YahudaMoon

  • John Diffley
Re: AAA Points
« Reply #402 on: 10 December, 2010, 08:17:45 am »
No GPS tech on your bike this year then your gonna struggle. Maybe the minimum AAA points will go to 30 AAA  points in 2012 ???

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: AAA Points
« Reply #403 on: 10 December, 2010, 10:56:57 am »
Don't get me wrong, GPS is on balance a good thing.  But it feels to me like it has broken a link to past benchmarks set by people like Danial Webb, Marcus Yeo and Dave Randerson.  Their achievements felt more earned to me, because they had a limited pool of events to choose from and had to go out of their way to do them.
I think you're right, but I don't think it matters. There are lots of competitions and records in other sports (and especially other branches of cycling) that survive upheaval like this. The AAA winners are still in the handbook - from this point onwards the numbers will just become larger, that's all.

(And as IH says, AAA is a sideshow, so we shouldn't worry too much about whether non-GPS users are discriminated against.)

Matt [AAA badge earned on calendar events  O:-) ]
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Billy Weir

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #404 on: 10 December, 2010, 01:11:37 pm »
As for DIY by GPS "cheapening" AAA points, hills in full winter clothing and bike aren't any easier with a GPS, I think DIY is the issue here not adding AAA points to a DIY.

It is easier because of the absolute flexibility riders now have.  But I'm in a minority being concerned about it, so will go silent.

TOBY

  • hello
Re: AAA Points
« Reply #405 on: 10 December, 2010, 02:12:56 pm »
awarding AAA points on rides <1000km cheapens them  :-*

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #406 on: 10 December, 2010, 03:08:26 pm »
Re: AAA Points
« Reply #406 on: Today at 10:56:57 AM »

And as IH says, AAA is a sideshow, so we shouldn't worry too much about whether non-GPS users are discriminated against.

I would have thought there are an appreciable number of members who ride AAA events without the "benefits" of a GPS, but never mind about them, eh?   

How long will it be before you use the same arguement in respect of points?


mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: AAA Points
« Reply #407 on: 10 December, 2010, 06:12:44 pm »
Re: AAA Points
« Reply #406 on: Today at 10:56:57 AM »

And as IH says, AAA is a sideshow, so we shouldn't worry too much about whether non-GPS users are discriminated against.

I would have thought there are an appreciable number of members who ride AAA events without the "benefits" of a GPS, but never mind about them, eh?   

How long will it be before you use the same arguement in respect of points?

Those words look like my post, so I'll respond!

To your first question:
Riders not using GPS (that'll be me) are not losing out. In any way. We can still ride all the existing AAA calendar events and perms.

2nd question:
I am saying that 'normal' points are an entirely different thing! I think you're inferring something that simply wasn't in my post.

Hope that clarifies things,
Matt
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #408 on: 10 December, 2010, 07:30:22 pm »
Have no great interest in AAA points, although i seem to acquire them anyway.  Dont have a GPS  nor ever done a DIY which leads me to think acquiring points has more to do with where you live.
Over here in west wales ,you would have to try not to be credited of any. 

Billy Weir

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #409 on: 12 December, 2010, 06:14:59 pm »
This weekend I shall conclude my (first?) AARTY and my 3x3xAAA.  Sweeeeeet.

*smug*

Steve Snook

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #410 on: 13 December, 2010, 06:59:56 pm »

No disrespect to Steve and all the hard work he does, but AAA is, like fixed-wheel challenges and so on, just a bit of light relief from the main business.

Agreed, but if it encourages people to get out on their bikes and ride more, and if it gives people something to aim for, then it's worthwhile.

Steve

Steve Snook

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #411 on: 13 December, 2010, 07:07:26 pm »
The rule change to give 1 point for 1000m changed things to make high scores easier to attain.  Then the thresholds are IMO wrong. A 200km event with 2750m of climb gets no points but only 50m more would earn it 2.75, too much of a jump now. But thems the rules and I'll live within them. 50m is nowt.

When we went to the new system that was a major issue that I personally had with it. But to my surprise, it doesn't really seem to work like that in practice. I'm not aware of (m)any events which are just under the threshold. Maybe I just don't get to find out about them, and you will now tell me there are loads. If a new event turns out to be just under the threshold though, often as not the organiser will revise the route to make it qualify.

Steve

Steve Snook

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #412 on: 13 December, 2010, 07:16:06 pm »


It is easier because of the absolute flexibility riders now have. 

I think that's a debate about DIY rather than DIY AAA. I can see for example if DIYs become very popular and at the expense of ordinary perms, then people might start to get concerned.

I've ridden quite a few DIY AAAs. That's because I ride out most Wednesdays from home to any of a dozen or so cafes in the Dales to meet up with other vets, many of them a lot more veteran than me and still going strong. Now I make it a DIY and I ride further and higher. Is that not a good thing?

Steve

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #413 on: 13 December, 2010, 07:29:14 pm »

As for DIY by GPS "cheapening" AAA points, hills in full winter clothing and bike aren't any easier with a GPS, I think DIY is the issue here not adding AAA points to a DIY.


Hills are still there to be climbed  :thumbsup:
If a DIY route earns enough AAA points then so be it.

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #414 on: 27 December, 2010, 01:31:29 pm »
Just been deciding where to put my 3xAAA badge that has arrived.......



..........seems the ideal place  :thumbsup:

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #415 on: 13 September, 2011, 09:29:00 pm »
As Marcus Yeo lists YACF as his club, I thought I would share this event just recorded by AUK
Yes, 3450km and 43.25AAA points - Event (No.YEO01) is open for anyone else to repeat

JB0738
YEO01 5067
 3400 km
Marcus Yeo
Points: 34   AAA: 43.25


Event: Marcus Yeo Extravaganza 2011
Category: PERMANENT
Distance: 3400 km
AAA: 43.25   
Organiser: 826   Body: AUK[P]

Date Ridden: 2011-07-30
Rider: Marcus Yeo     Memno: H 5067
Club: yacf     

Chris S

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #416 on: 13 September, 2011, 09:36:40 pm »
Erm... and if he rode it fixed - that's 77.25 Fixed Wheel Points folks  :o

AndyH

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #417 on: 13 September, 2011, 09:55:58 pm »
And just when we were all congratulating ourselves for pootling round France for a few kms  ::-)

Congratulations Marcus  8)

Billy Weir

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #418 on: 14 September, 2011, 07:33:00 am »
Having pondered before posting, I still can't decide whether I'm impressed or incredulous.

It seems that an ability to use GPS to validate AAA DIY events (as this one presumably was) is taking us into the realms of the rediculous.  I also see that the (different) person currently leading the AAA competition has built it on foundations of micro events.  Not to take away from either achievements, but I can't but help be honest and say we are losing something by permitting what technology could do rather than what it should do.

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #419 on: 14 September, 2011, 08:13:34 am »
Only point I would suggest in reply is that, for example,

Trans America 6800km
Orient Express 4014km
Great Triangle 3315
Trafalgar Trafalgar 3100km

were (and still are) AUK events conceived well before GPS

But I agree no one has felt inclined to sit down and manually calculate the AAA points score for them.
Perhaps on a wet winter day? - but generally I am happy to keep to one side of AAA points and their calculation and l leave it to the hilly enthusiasts.

So far as short Perms go, I must admit to a certain unease about the ever-repeated 50km event and wonder whether for competition points AUK should separate BP events from BR events and give awards for points gained in 200km + events as being fitting for a "long distance cycling club. This is only a personal view however that I have not heard expressed by anyone else.

Chris S

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #420 on: 14 September, 2011, 08:26:34 am »
So far as short Perms go, I must admit to a certain unease about the ever-repeated 50km event and wonder whether for competition points AUK should separate BP events from BR events and give awards for points gained in 200km + events as being fitting for a "long distance cycling club. This is only a personal view however that I have not heard expressed by anyone else.

Why not start a thread on the subject? Apart from the "Fight" thread, we haven't had any decent barney around here for a while  ;)...

(not entirely trolling - for I think I agree with you, although in fairness, it's only AAA and FWC niches that award points for sub-200 events)

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #421 on: 14 September, 2011, 09:00:57 am »
I don't think Marcus' route is a GPS only muddle for AAA type of thing. On the thread about the number of points being submitted for DIYs it was mentioned that this 3500km route has 41 checkpoints (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=34447.msg1008339#msg1008339), which sounds like a sane number for something this long. And as a permanent doesn't that mean they have to be proper controls, so the ride could be repeated without a GPS unit? And as the AAA has been agreed that could be claimed as well.

And you don't need to manually calculate the climbing on those long routes, just ride them with a GPS  :thumbsup: Personally I think that's a harder way of calculating the points than sitting at home with an OS map and beverage of choice.


Re: AAA Points
« Reply #422 on: 14 September, 2011, 09:16:04 am »
So far as short Perms go, I must admit to a certain unease about the ever-repeated 50km event and wonder whether for competition points AUK should separate BP events from BR events and give awards for points gained in 200km + events as being fitting for a "long distance cycling club.

Or an equivalent to the 50:50 rule; At least 50% of AAA points must come from BR(M) rides.

Ever repeated 50km events can then bulk up someone's score, but only if they do the equivalent in 'long distance' hilly rides.

Note that the AAA points table wouldn't automatically trim people's score down as that would mean those people who only ever do BP AAA rides would get 0 points. It would only be applied to the top people when working out who has won the AAA championship.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: AAA Points
« Reply #423 on: 14 September, 2011, 09:21:09 am »
I don't think Marcus' route is a GPS only muddle for AAA type of thing. On the thread about the number of points being submitted for DIYs it was mentioned that this 3500km route has 41 checkpoints (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=34447.msg1008339#msg1008339), which sounds like a sane number for something this long. And as a permanent doesn't that mean they have to be proper controls, so the ride could be repeated without a GPS unit? And as the AAA has been agreed that could be claimed as well.

And you don't need to manually calculate the climbing on those long routes, just ride them with a GPS  :thumbsup: Personally I think that's a harder way of calculating the points than sitting at home with an OS map and beverage of choice.

Doesn't a GPS system do it for you?  I've done several hilly DIYs this year, including a 300, all of which would almost certainly qualify for AAA points but when I sat down with the OS maps to contour count I quickly realised I could be out on my bike instead!  I can't see how contour-counting would be easier than GPS, though I haven't actually got GPS, admittedly.

Further "an OS map".... Marcus would have needed the whole set probably!

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: AAA Points
« Reply #424 on: 14 September, 2011, 09:22:46 am »
'Back in the day', AUK had a rule that only the first ride of a brevet (of repeated rides each year) counted towards awards. It was intended to discourage people from wearing grooves in their local roads.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...